Hand stoker



E. S. DECKER Oct. 20, 1925- HAND STOKER Filed June 9. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w o@ m@ m,\ u M@ om,

LSSRSOQ E. s. DECKER HAND STOKER l Filed June .9 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edwinaeevev,

E. sfDl-:cKr-:R

HAND STOKER 1 Filed June 9. 1922 s sheds-sheet :s

Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

' UNITED STATES 1,557,809I TENT OFFICE;

EDWIN s. DECKER, or MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To GIBBY FOUNDRY COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

HAND STOKER.

Application filed June 9, 1922. Serial No. 567,132.

To all w/zomv t may concern.'

Be it known that I,A EDwiN S. DECKER, a Subj ect of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hand Stokers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to furnaces, Stoves and the like heating devices wherein combustion takes place upon a grated fuel surface and aims to provide novel and improved stoker bars and grate surfaces therefor. The invention will best be understood from a description of one selected embodiment thereof, reference be-ing had to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, and wherein,-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a furnace Showing the Stoker in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a detail top view of the lower end of the Stoker and Aportions of the adjacent furnace walls showing the cleaning bar and .lowermost Stoker bar in each unit, two such units being indicated in the present embodiment; Figs'. 3 and 4, detail perspective top views -30 of the Stoker bar frameJ and the grate Surface therefor,respectively:

Fig. 5, a detail top plan view of the Stoker bar assembly;

Fig. 6, a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 7, a sect-ion onk the line T-fof Fig. 6, showing an interior View of one end of the Stoker bar; and

Fig. 8, a detail longitudinal section of the cleaning bar. Y

Referring to thedrawings, the yfurnace herein Shown and illustrating' a selected embodiment of my invention operatively mounted therein, is of the hand stoking type and comprises a front wall 9, adjacent which one end of the Stoker is Supported, a bridge wall 10, on which the rear end of the Stoker issupported, opposite side walls 11, and an ash pit 12 arranged under the Stoker, the front wall of the furnace being provided with a-Suitable fuel opening V13 for each Stoker unit, a Separate opening 111 at Va somewhat lower elevation for the passage of the Stoker bar control rods, and a horizontal casting or dead plate 15 Seated at the bot-tem of the uelopenng AS herein Shown, the main frame-Of the Stoker comprises three stringers 16 arranged in spaced parallel relation and adapted to support two separate Stoker units, as Shown in Fig. 2, two of these stringers being arranged near corresponding side walls of the furnace and the remaining Stringer midway between the other two. The construction thus provides for two inclined Stoker units, each of which is independent of the other in construction and operation. It will be understood, however, that by the provision of additional Stringers the fuel surface may be made up of as many Stoker units as desired.

Each Stringer is formed at its front end with a horizontalportion 17 providing a support for a coking plate 115 and is Suitably recessed on its lower face to receive a supporting cross-rail 117 extended between the Side walls of the furnace, the lower end of the Stringer being movably Supported in a bearing box 18 built into the bridge wall,A and having an inclined bearing Surface.,

lEach Stoker unit comprises a plurality of Stoker bars 19 transversely. arranged on the stringers and in parallel relation tO each other, and a cleaning bar 20 adjacent the y lowermost Stoker bar at the inner end of the Stoker. The Construction of these Stoker bars most clearly appears in the detail views shown in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, while the cleaning bar is best shown in Fig. 2. Each Stoker bar comprises a rocking frame and a unitary grate portion removably seatedin the frame, being without locking connection therewith and free to be moved into and out of operative position on the frame. The frame includes end plates 21, 21, and a Curved shield portion 22 on the front sider connect-ing the end plates and preferably integral therewith. This shield is provided with a number of spaced apertures affording air passages 23, 23, etc., arranged in rows extending the length of the shield inter- 'mediate its top and bottom edges,.while a Separate Series of recesses 24, also designed to serve as air passages, is provided on the top edge of the shield. To prevent warping of the shield'when heated and consequent drawing of the end plates, its walls are suitably Corrugated in the direction of its width. Each end plate 21 is provided with an integral trunnion 25 adapted to fit looselyl in a Suitable diagonal recess or slot 26 provided inthe top edge of each ot the stringers. A i

The Stoker bars, herein shown as eight in maribel. are arranged. to operate in Separate series or groups, preferably Iin two vgroups of four successive bars each7 the bars of each group being connected up by separate underlying` actuating bars 27, the actuating bar o' one group being arranged on one side ot the unit while the corresponding actuating bar of the other group lies onthefopposite side ,of the unit.. Each otthese .actuating bars is connected toeachind-ividualstoler bar of the corresponding groupe by,J nieans eta curved lug 28 detachablv secured by boltsQQ to one end of the shield-'22 and provided with a.depending'bifurcated .portion .30 .which is 4arranged/.to (straddle `.the actuating barwbeing ,movably `secured there` yto Aby la removable-hinge pinrl which is .passedvthrough eyes `in the biturea'ted portion and asuitaible vregist'ering aperture in the .actuating bar. Thus there is no interference;between the actuating Vbars 'et' the separate-groups of stolzer bars. lEach Ugrorip ',ot' stokeryybars isl controlled .by a .1 separate-rod 38,connected.to the actuating baiwofthat group and extending forward :through the opening 14 in the' :tront wall ot the vturiiafce 4to a lever;34 exteriorl-i-,f` mounted fuponn bracket 35. l Each lever-ispivoted .Ito be moved towardvand away 'from the furnace .wall .tor'rocking the stoker bars 1by means otfa detachable handbar 36.

,'Illie :grate portion vet each Stoker bar; forms one'contiiiuous vopen stiaicture errteiiding between opposite end-,platesfl of the traine and constitutes atheentire fuel supporting surface therebetween. :In-the present-ein- :bodiinent this grate surface is made up I,of a 'succession ot'diagonally arrangedbars `37 i connecting vthe Efront and. rearside portions '38,5 .Each'ot these bars'is Constructed .with lcorrugated inclinedl` sidesA (see Figs. v2, :4,5 and Zitoffacilitate the necessary YeX- .pansion and c'ontracti'onrotthe metal` without causing.v their. distortion -or ,the warping of the side portions,V iwhieh are` alsoY corrugated for the same! purpose. ',-Thesideportions connect the end portions.40, 4l, Jand are preferably ;torined integral therewith, the front side portion 38' .being vextended downward to ,movably engage the. .top edge of the shield 22 which is suitably cut away for the' f purpose and forins;,a supporting ledge therefor. Endwise movement ,ofY the grate Yportion ,during stoking or rocking operations is obviated by means of a ,pointed extensien.42 provided centrally on the lower vto register lwith ya correspondingly shaped recess43 provided on 'theshield As clearly gappears inl Fig. 7, the CODCQHR of the 'front side portion conforms to the arc of the shield .and'servges as, an upward extension thereof.

Vedge ofthe frontzside portionaiid adapted y ,shield 62, the front end of, the rodi-heiligen- The rear side portion 39 is arranged in alignment with the trunnions 25, bridging the end portions, and is preferablydeepened centrally. Each of the end portions is arranged to v seat Aupon ahorizontal ledge 44 i'ormedon the inner face of the end plates 2l, ofthe frame, which are reduced inthickvshaped guideways 47, 48, provided for their recept-ion on the 4inner face of theend plate, the object of these lugs'being to prevent 4displacement of the grate. portion in either lateral Ydirectio-n during oscillations of the stolrer bars. A. suitable transverse .opening 49, affording an. air cooling .passagegand A,an outlet for ,anytlne ash tending-to collect on the `shield at this 4point,.is provided .at

guideway 47.

Each ot the end portions 40, 41, is pio- ,vided centrally onits outeigiace with a lateral extensionor keyadapted to extend Ainto a guide way-,5l of .somewhat`- greater depth provided on the inner tace otthecori'espoiidingcnd plateQlot-tlie stolzer bar frame to facilitate proper assembling of the 4grate portion yin itsfframe and to yprevent lateral displacement ofi the. grate. As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the. space between "the .end plates of "the frame .exceedsthe lengthwise dimensions of, thegrate portion atiall points suiiiciently to insure ainpleallowance` for endwise expansion-of, the grate portion without binding when heated. Y

The cleaning bar is 4arranged at lthe lower end .of the stolzer, extendingfroni the lowermost Stoker bar tothe bridgewalhand comprisesajframe of open. structure in which' is mounted a grate surface composed o't-.a plurality of detachable-sections 60. rlhe vframe .portionconiprises .end platesV 61,161 connected at their front vends @by lan `integrally formed downwardly curved perjtora'te shield 62, ythe end platesbeing provided .with aligned trunnions 63 which set; into suitable recesses 64 provided in thetopedgeot the stringers 1 6 and as nearly as possibleE in. line with the center of .gravity of the. cleaning ybar-so that the latter maybe. easily rocked "or tilted downward .at its -rear or,r lower, en d by means of arod. 65 extending.underthev Stoker and controlled fronifthe frontend o't the furnace. This control rod 65 is pivotally connected at its rear end to a lug `66, which is similar to the lugs 28 ofthe stolleribarsend secured by similar means centrally to-.the-

tended forward through they ,openinglt in theY front wall ofthe furnace. The end .plates 61 are'connected attheinlower eX- tremities by. ,an4 integral Y transverse f.- bar 6L which forms a support vfor the grate sections 60.

The grate surface of the cleaning bar is arranged in a plane offset from and below that of the grate surface of the stoker bars, each of the grate sections 60 having a downwardly curved portion at its front end extending from the level of the main portion of the stoker to a point appro-ximately in the line of the axis of the trunnions 63, beyond which the remaining grate surface is fiat. The grate sections are arranged in parallel and extend from front to rear `of the cleaning bar, resting at their forward ends upon the top edge of the shield 62 and at their opposite ends upon the transverse portion 67, the forward ends being projected slightly beyond the arc of the shield to form a lip 68 overlying the rear edge of the adjacent stoker bar and designed to prevent downward displacement of fuel through the opening which would otherwise occur between the bars when the stoker bar is being rocked. The cleaning bar is provided with a plurality of air cooling passages distributed over its surface and consisting of a series of lateral recesses 69' on both margins of each grate section, the recesses of one section being arranged opposite the recesses of the adjacent section. Each of the grate sections is reinforced lengthwise by an integral perforate web 70 extending centrally along its bottom, the several sections being held against upward displacement by a transversely arranged removable rod 71 supported at its extremities in suit-able openings provided in the end platesl 61 and extending through aligned transverse openings in the webs of the grate sections.

ln operating the device herein described, when it is necessary to shake the stoker to move the fuel toward the cleaning bar and remove any ashes that may fall through the.

stoker bars, the lower series of connected stoker bars is first rocked by manipulating the corresponding control rod, thereby projecting onto the cleaning grate ashfand clinkers from the lowest stoker bar, while the partially or nearly consumed fuel of the remaining bars of this series is advanced to new position for the final `stages' of combustion. In like manner the upper series of stoker bars is then rocked, causing fresh fuel to be advanced from the coking plate and completing the vgradual displacement rearward of the entire fuel bed. As the stoker bars are rocked their grate surfaces are raised above the stoker surfaceat such an angle that the entire overlying portion of the fuel bed is iagitated and pushed onward, downward displacement of the fuel into the ash pit being effectually prevented by the I curved shield on the front edge of each bar which closes the gap otherwise occurring between. adjacent stoker bars, Each of .these shields forms a curvature designed to maintain at all times substantially uniform proximity to the adjacent stoker bar, the depth of the shield being equivalent to the extent of movement of the grated surface at its front edge. The same may -be said of the shield of the cleaning bar which performs a like function. During oscillation of the stoker bars air is admitted to the fuel bed through the openings inthe shield, which is thereby kept from being overheated while in direct contact with the fire.V

To repair the grat-e surfaces `of stoker of this class it is usually necessary on account of the locking connect-ions of the several parts to remove the entire stoker bar from its setting on the stringers. -This entails drawing the lire from the whole or a large portion of the stoker to permit detachment of the defective stoker bar from its actuating bar. In its economic aspects this necessity in the ordinary hand-stoker, often involving large commercial loss, is of `much importance. In the present device this objection is reduced to a minimum and the operation `of replacing the grate surface greatly simplified and expedited. This result is accomplished by the provision of a removable grate surface forming a complete and separate unit which has no positive lock-v` ing connection whatever with its setting. Its detachment fiom the frameor remaining portion of the shaker bar lmay be readily accomplished by the mere operation of lifting it out of the frame, whether the fur` nace be in a heated or cold state, the preliminary clearing of the individual stoker bar only being required. Outward displacement lof the'grate portion from the frame during the shaking operation is prevented by the depending lugs 45, 46, arranged at each end, which then impinge upon the adjacent sides of their respective guide ways 47, 48, the length of the lugs being sutliciently extended to effect this result.

While the separate series of shaker bars v are usually operated successively, they may, if desired, be operated simultaneouly, in which event the shield portion of each bar will prevent fuelfrom falling between. adyjacent bars.

The cleaning grate may be rocked whenever sufficient material is accumulated thereon to require removal. During oscillationof the cleaning grate the shield portion thereof operates to prevent" 'loss of fuel in the same manner as the shields on the stoker bars. The weight of the cleaning grate is so distributed that itV types of furnaces, obvious modifications being made therein Without departing from the principle of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a Stoker bar, in combination, a frame comprising end portions and a membei' connecting 'the end portions and vforming a shield, Aand .a freely Vremovable grate portion in .onegpiece constitutingthe entire fuel supporting surface intermediate vthe end portions .and receiving Support directly therefrom.

2. In a rocking Stoker bar, in combination, a frame comprisingend portions and .ai

lmember connecting the end portions and forming a shield adapted-.to Swing above the surface ,of the Stoker when the bar is tipped, anda freely removable grate .portion in one piece overlying the shield and receiving support from said end portions.

3. In a Stoker bar, in combination, a trillateral receiving frame havingl end portions and a vrmember connecting Atheend portions on one side of they nar and forniing a Shield, .affreely removable grate por- -tion in ,one piece overlying the Shield and Ireceiving support `from Saidy end portions, and non-locking retaining means, forsaid of operative position, and noli-locking retaining means, including means provided on the gra-te portion cooperating with means provided on said end portions for preventing displacement of the grate portion When the Stoker bar is tipped.

5. In a Stoker, a plurality of rocking Stoker bars each comprising, in combination, a frame having endportions and a member .connecting the end portions and forming a curved Shield on' the front Sidey of the bar adapted to extend above the surface of thestoker when the bar is rocked; a freely yren'iovable grate portion in one piecev receiving Support from said end portions and covering the shield, non-locking retaining Vmeans including dependent' members provided on said grate portion and. cooperative receiving means providedv on said end portions ofthe frame for preventing displace ment of the grate portion Wheiithestoker bar is tipped, aandLmeans Ifor rockingithe Stoker bars collectively.

56.111 a: rocking vStoker bar, in, combination, a frame having end portions each provided on its inner face Witlia Avertically arranged channel open atlibotli ends, a member connect-ing Zthe end. portions and forming ,a shield` eXtending above the .surface of the Stoker when the bar is tipped, and

a lfreely removable unitary grate -portion mounted inl the frame'and receiving support from Said end portions, said grate. portion having depending retaining members at its ends nearly equal inulengtli to. the

fend Vportions-.and amember connectingjtlie end portions onlthefront Side of thefbavr,

and a` gra-te portion yfreentobe moved'into and out of positionion Ythe,=f-rameaand arranged to lap 'onto Said endfport-ion. connecting member, -said 4grate x portion i forminga guard Acoveringgsaid end-.portion connecting member and cooperating'therexvith i to provide afslrield lon the front. side ofthe bar adapted to sivingabove,` the upper-face of the Stoker Whentheibaris tipped.

9. In ay Stoker, .Tin combination, a Series of rocking stokerbars eachhaving a grate receiving portion ofxopen structure comprising end members and a member connecting the end members on the front side of the bar, a unitary grate portion free to be inserted n'to and Withdrawn from the frame and receiving Supportfrom said end members, vsaid grate portion being .adapted to cover vvsaid Side member of the frame and cooperating therewith `'to form a shield eX- tending above the upper' surf-ace ofthe Stoker Whentlie Stoker baris rocked, trunnions eccentrically mountedvonsaid end members of-tlie frame, Asupporting means therefor, and means for rocking the Stoker bar.

vIn testimony whereof, I have signedmy name tothis specification.

' EDVIN S. DECKER `depth of sai-d end members land adapted to 

